6 MARCH, 2018 – Multiple karting champion Paavo Tonteri has been announced as the second driver signing of 2018 for Double R Racing’s F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford Ecoboost squad.

Finnish karting ace Tonteri will make his car racing debut with Woking’s Double R on the back of a very strong karting career, which delivered several championship titles and a brace of top four finishes in the CIK-FIA World Karting Championship.

Similarly to recently announced Double R team-mate Sebastian Alvarez, Tonteri is represented by Infinity Sports Management. The 18-year-old won his first title in the Finnish Cup in 2012 before claiming the North European KF3 Karting Championship in 2013.

Taking his third title in as many years in the KF Junior class of the Finnish Championship in 2014, Tonteri achieved a top three placing at the prestigious South Garda Winter Cup in 2015, as well as third in the KF class of the Finnish Championship.

Tonteri went on to win the highly competitive German Karting Championship in 2016 to make it four karting crowns in just five years. He was also crowned vice-champion of the Finnish OK Karting Championship that year and secured third place in the German Championship last year.

“I’m really happy to join Double R as they are certainly one of the best teams in the UK,” said Tonteri. “Racing with Double R will take me further as a driver and hopefully I can take them further as a team as well. Double R has a great philosophy of racing, and with great people around me I’m very excited for the new season.”

A leading team on the single-seater scene, Double R Racing has a host of achievements to its name, including multiple race wins in British F4, two British Formula 3 titles and a win in the globally renowned Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix in 2006.

Double R team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt said: “Paavo really is a great young talent. His record from karting speaks for itself. We’re confident he’s going to adapt to British Formula 4 very quickly and be a competitive driver.

“It’s a tough championship for any youngster, especially in their first season, but from what we’ve seen so far Paavo looks set for a strong year. With Paavo joining Sebastian [Alvarez] we’ve already got a great young line-up with one driver still to confirm!”

Kent’s Brands Hatch Indy circuit, Double R Racing’s ‘home’ track, will host the season curtain-raiser for the 2018 F4 British Championship on 7/8 April. The Ford EcoBoost-powered single-seater stars of the future will visit the UK’s premier race circuits during the campaign which include Donington Park, Oulton Park and Silverstone, prior to the season finale at Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on 29/30 September.